Limited service resumes at Reagan National and Dulles International airports

By Kris Van Cleave
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Some airlines are beginning to resume service at the major airports serving Washington and Baltimore after superstorm Sandy.

Limited service was expected to resume Tuesday at Baltimore-Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport. A spokeswoman for Reagan National and Washington Dulles International airports says there are very limited operations in both locations and that each airport had their first arrival earlier in the day Tuesday.

Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority spokeswoman Kimberly Gibbs says it will take several days for the airports to ramp up and return to full service.

For David Estes, who finished the Marine Corps Marathon in just four hours and 45 minutes, the trip home to Kansas City will take days.

"There's been a series of cancellations for the airline. I stayed an extra day in the hotel, and now I'm spending 20 hours here waiting for an 8 a.m. flight tomorrow morning," Estes explained.

Paul Meyers from Green Bay is stuck at Reagan National until Wednesday afternoon. He too ran in the marathon.

"I saw two airplanes, so that's a good sign. A least they are leaving at some point.

No commercial aircraft were left at the airport during the storm. So the airlines must reposition their jets to resume service.

Passengers are being encouraged to check with their airlines before heading to the airport.

There was much better news for Metro riders. The system weathered the storm without major incidents and limited service was set to resume Tuesday afternoon.

WMATA Spokesman Dan Stessel said, "We had some minor damage, construction fencing and debris that landed on the tracks, but nothing major, and no power issues...nothing that would preclude us from beginning service."

VRE will resume its full operation schedule Wednesday.

As for Amtrak, the company says it will resume some service in the Northeast on Wednesday, but flooded train tunnels continue to prevent service to and from New York's Penn Station.

The railroad said late Tuesday that modified service between Newark, N.J., and points south will resume on Wednesday. That includes restoring Virginia service to Lynchburg, Richmond and Newport News, Keystone trains in Pennsylvania and Downeaster service between Boston and Portland, Maine.

However, Amtrak said in a statement that the amount of water in train tunnels under the Hudson and East rivers is unprecedented, preventing service to New York. There will be no Northeast Regional service between New York and Boston and no Acela Express service for the entire length of the Northeast Corridor. No date has been set for resumption of service.